Crimson Overlord
Chapter 403: Conquering another Ruins 3

Chapter 403: Conquering another Ruins 3

Morning came quietly, the sky painted in soft hues of pink and gold. Luna stretched as she sat up from her sleeping mat, her body still aching from the previous ruin’s challenge. Across the dying embers of their fire, Orpheus was already awake, sharpening a dagger with slow, deliberate strokes.

"Ready for the next one?" he asked without looking up.

Luna groaned. "Do I even have a choice?"

His lips curled into a smirk. "Not really."

She sighed but pushed herself up. If she was going to prove herself, there was no room for hesitation. After a quick meal and some light stretching, they set off toward the next ruin.

This one was different from the others.

Whereas the previous ruins had been tucked away in overgrown forests or hidden beneath collapsed structures, this one loomed above them like a forgotten fortress. Jagged black stone jutted from the earth, forming an eerie silhouette against the sky. Faint whispers rode the wind, slipping through the cracks in the walls like ghostly echoes of the past.

Luna swallowed. This place felt wrong.

Orpheus gestured toward the entrance—a set of massive doors, covered in ancient glyphs. "This ruin is unlike the others."

"How so?" she asked, already dreading the answer.

"Once you step inside, the trial begins immediately. And you’ll be racing against time."

Luna frowned. "Time?"

He nodded. "You won’t be fighting a guardian. This ruin will collapse around you. You’ll have to make it to the core, claim whatever lies inside, and escape before the ruin buries you alive."

Her heart pounded. The thought of fighting a powerful enemy was one thing—but outrunning the very ruin itself? That was something else entirely.

Still, she clenched her fists and took a deep breath. "Alright. I’m going."

Orpheus stepped aside, allowing her to pass. "Good luck."

She entered.

The moment Luna stepped into the ruin, the doors slammed shut behind her. Darkness swallowed the space, save for the faint glow of runes lining the walls. The air was thick with dust, heavy with the scent of decay and damp stone.

Then the ground beneath her feet shook.

A loud crack split the silence as the stone walls trembled, dust cascading from above.

It’s already starting!

She bolted forward, navigating through a narrow corridor. The floor trembled with every step she took, cracks forming beneath her feet. The walls seemed to breathe, shifting and closing in like a living entity.

Suddenly, the floor collapsed in front of her, revealing a deep chasm. Luna skidded to a stop, barely avoiding falling into the darkness below. Her heart pounded as she looked around, spotting a crumbling pillar nearby.

No time to think.

She sprinted toward it, using the last stable bit of ground to leap. The moment her feet left the surface, the stone collapsed behind her, sending debris tumbling into the abyss. She reached out, fingers just barely catching onto the pillar’s edge.

Her arms screamed in protest as she struggled to pull herself up. Below, the ruins continued to crumble, the sound of destruction echoing through the chamber.

She managed to climb atop the pillar, only to find herself staring at another obstacle—a corridor filled with spinning blades, their edges gleaming under the dim light.

"Seriously?" she muttered, wiping sweat from her brow.

The tremors grew worse. The ruin was falling apart faster.

I don’t have time to hesitate.

Luna took a deep breath and ran.

She ducked beneath the first blade, its sharp edge slicing just above her head. The second one swung horizontally, forcing her to twist her body mid-stride. The third was coming too fast—she wouldn’t make it!

Acting on instinct, she dropped to the ground and slid, feeling the blade skim over her back as she barely made it through.

Her pulse thundered in her ears. No time to stop.

The final stretch of the chamber led to a towering door adorned with strange carvings. A pedestal stood before it, a glowing crystal hovering above.

Luna’s stomach twisted.

This is it. The core.

The moment she reached for it, a deep roar shook the entire ruin. The ceiling above cracked open, and huge chunks of debris began falling.

She didn’t wait—she grabbed the crystal and ran.

The ruin screamed as it collapsed, the walls caving in as Luna sprinted for her life. The corridor behind her was disappearing, swallowed by dust and falling stone.

Her legs burned, but she couldn’t stop.

The exit was getting closer—just a few more steps—

Suddenly, the floor gave way beneath her.

Luna let out a sharp gasp as she plummeted, arms flailing. The wind howled in her ears as she fell, the world spinning—

Then, at the last second, something caught her wrist.

A strong grip.

She looked up, coughing through the dust. Orpheus’ face came into view, his expression calm but firm as he held onto her.

"You’re late," he said.

She let out a breathless laugh. "Yeah? Try running through collapsing ruins."

With one sharp pull, he lifted her up, and she tumbled onto solid ground just as the ruin behind them caved in completely. A final gust of wind rushed past them as the structure finally crumbled into rubble.

Luna lay on her back, panting. She had made it.

Orpheus crouched beside her, studying her.

"You struggled this time."

She groaned, throwing an arm over her eyes.

"Gee, thanks."

He chuckled. "But you survived."

Luna let out a weak laugh. "Barely."

Orpheus reached out, brushing some dust from her cheek. "Good work."

She turned her head to look at him, exhaustion settling deep in her bones. But despite everything, a grin spread across her lips.

"Yeah... I did it, didn’t I?"

"You did."

And as the sun began to set behind them, Luna closed her eyes, knowing that she was stronger than she had ever been before.

This trip to the demon realm, her hometown wouldn’t be wasted, her strength grew exponentially, her current level was different from the previous one, at the level she was level 4.